The Island Magic
It is difficult to sum up exactly what it is about Lundy that makes so many people fall under its spell. There is an indiscernible magical quality that seems to pervade the senses as soon as you set foot ashore, which varies in intensity from person to person. A holiday here gives the opportunity to totally relax and unwind, away from pressures of mainland life, and be busy doing absolutely nothing.
Getting to Lundy
There are two ways of getting to Lundy, depending upon the season of travel. During the summer months (April to October) visitors are carried on the island's own vessel, MS Oldenburg (affectionately known as the Old and Buggered), which sails from both Bideford and Ilfracombe. Sailings are three days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday), plus Wednesday in July and August. The voyage takes around 2 hours, depending on ports, tides and weather. Sailings from Ilfracombe are usually slightly faster, as it can take considerable time to cross Bideford Bar and reach the open sea.
The ship is fully equipped with a small shop, information centre, buffet and bar, with indoor and outdoor seating. Smoking is permitted only on the open decks. All staying visitors must book tickets in advance, as the fact that you have paid for accommodation does not automatically entitle you to this.
On arrival at the island, visitors disembark on the new jetty, built partly from Lottery funding. The steep walk up to the village then begins. The Lundy brochure describes this as a gentle stroll, which is not at all how I would describe it. It seems that no matter how many times I visit the island, I still arrive at the village red in the face and out of breath! This is exacerbated by the fact that I am carrying extra clothing and provisions for the journey, and my first few hours on the island. At busy times it can be several hours before visitors are reunited with their luggage. It is therefore prudent to carry any essential supplies with you. Tea, coffee and UHT milk are available in each property, should you wish to make a hot drink while you wait. All luggage is safely carried in the hold aboard MS Oldenburg and transferred to a tractor and trailer for transportation to your property.
During the winter months, (November to March) the Oldenburg comes out of service, and the island is served by a scheduled helicopter service from Hartland Point. The helicopter operates on Mondays and Fridays, with flying between 11am and 2pm, making it ideal for weekend visits and short breaks. Although much quicker (an average of 7 minutes flying time). As the helicopter holds a maximum of 7 passengers, it can take several hours to get everyone across. One passenger sits next to the pilot, whilst the remaining six are crammed into the cabin behind. Travelling alone as I always do automatically puts you at an advantage for the front seat, the view from which is pretty amazing, giving you a totally different perspective of the island.
The heliport is basically a field at the top of Hartland Point, not far from the Beacon. It consists essentially of a shed, with separate toilet. A café is open on flying days, serving the usual hot drinks and home bakes (including gluten free with sugar free jam for diabetics). Parking is provided at the public car park a five minute walk from the heliport and costs approximately £1.50 per day (subject to change).
Please note there is a strict baggage allowance of 10 kilos per passenger for the helicopter, and 20 kilos by boat. The literature says that all bags are weighed on arrival at the port and excess baggage (currently £5 per 5 kilos or part thereof) charged to your account at the Marisco Tavern. In practise, this only ever happens at the heliport. This makes life somewhat difficult for those with special dietary needs who have to take provisions with them. You can of course order goods in advance from the shop, but past experience has shown that they are unlikely to be able to obtain such specialist requirements. Provided you let the Shore Office know in advance, it is usually possible to take these items free of charge, as long as they are packed in a seperate bag and clearly labelled as special dietary needs.
Entrance to Lundy is free for all those who arrive by scheduled transport. However, as the island is owned by the National Trust, visitors arriving by other means, including their own boats and light aircraft, will be charged a small entrance fee. If you are staying on Lundy, and do not arrive by scheduled transport, you will also be charged for carrying your luggage to the top of the island. Full details and up to date prices are available from the Island Office on 01237 431831.
On the rare occasions (mostly spring and autumn) when the Oldenburg is unable to sail due to adverse weather conditions, the Landmark Trust will endeavour to arrange alternative helicopter transportation, at subsided rate and meet the cost of extra night's accommodation for visitors who are unable to leave the island.
Occasionally sailings have to be changed to a different port, due to changing tides or other conditions. Landmark will endeavour to telephone you in advance and warn you of this, so that you can make the necessary arrangements. Make sure that they have your mobile telephone number, and remember to check for messages at regular intervals throughout your journey. Remember, you can now receive three penalty points if caught using a hand held mobile telephone whilst driving.
For those arriving or departing the island at the changeover point between scheduled helicopter and/or boat, Landmark will bus you to or from wherever your car has been left, provided you let them know that this is required, so that they can arrange the right sized vehicle.
